The present invention relates to monocular and binocular configurations used in both terrestrial and astronomical applications, including both single-wave and multi-wave night vision; more specifically to an improved version of reflective monocular/telescope which can be arranged in a number of configurations to facilitate unique and useful applications.
One object of the invention when used in higher magnifications is to improve the optical performance of a reflecting monocular telescope over that of the Newtonian, Cassegrain, Gregorian, Maksutov and Schmidt-Cassegrain types. This optical advantage results from improved diffraction performance, since those other reflective telescope types all involve putting a secondary mirror into the optical path which causes diffraction into the optical path, whereas the present invention uses a hole in the optical path which diffracts light away from the optical path, thus yielding better contrast performance. Additionally, the present invention typically blocks less of the incoming light because the hole in the optical path will often be smaller than the reflective element used in the optical path of competing reflective designs.
Another object of the invention is to enhance the usefulness of a reflecting telescope design by incorporating image correcting optics into the design. This allows the telescope to be used for terrestrial as well as celestial observation at a reduced cost. The advantage of this is most apparent when compared to the Newtonian type of telescope which generally cannot be used for terrestrial observation even with external correctors. That is because the image Newtonians create is rotated at some angle dependent on the eyepiece location in addition to being inverted. The other types of reflecting telescopes can have their images corrected, but they require additional external optical components to do it.
Another object of the invention is to achieve a lower cost compared to most other telescope designs. This advantage can be achieved by first using elementary optics rather than custom components, or components requiring specially shaped optical pairs to eliminate aberrations. And second, by reducing the precision requirements of the secondary mirror compared to the other telescopes mentioned.
Another object of the invention is to create a reflecting telescope design that is rugged enough to remain collimated after being set at a factory. The advantage of this is most apparent when compared to the Newtonian design which generally requires collimation with each use, particularly when transported, to maintain optimum performance. The very stable design structure of the present invention makes it useful as a spotting type field telescope, rifle scope, spy-scope, binocular, or goggle, which generally cannot be done effectively using other reflective type telescope designs.
Another object of the invention is to provide a reflective monocular which can be used in a rifle scope applications which doesn't require an optic at the scope forward opening which might reflect sunlight and possibly give away a users position as would be the case with other reflective designs.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved reflective monocular which can readily be used to form binoculars of any size, which will directly compete with refractive designs due to the many advantages the configuration provides, including the ability to build aperture sizes well beyond what is practical for refractive instruments. This isn't even an option for nearly all other reflective designs which is why refractive designs dominate the marketplace.
Another object of the invention is to provide a forward looking binocular in a compact configuration. Competitors typically use Newtonian telescopes, which are often reverse direction, pointing backward from the direction the observer is looking, and not at all compact.
Another object of the invention is to create a reflecting binocular design that is rugged enough to remain collimated after being set at a factory. The advantage of this over all other reflective designs, Newtonians in particular, allows for it to be used in field applications for both military and commercial applications. The very stable design structure of the present invention is nearly unmatchable by other reflective designs.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved reflective monocular which can be rotated or tilted without affecting the orientation of the optical image such that when used in a binocular or goggle configuration interpupillary distance spacing can be achieved by rotating the monoculars inward, toward each other, in a similar way as that of refractive binocular designs. This is not currently possible with most other reflective binocular approaches which typically connect a pair of Newtonian reflectors which rotate the image when the monocular tubes are rotated or tilted.
Another object of the invention is to provide monocular and binocular configurations which have a center of geometry and weight distribution much closer to the observer's body, thus providing low profile instruments which are easier to handle, even in larger configurations normally requiring separate mounts. Thus larger objective instruments may be hand held while competitive instruments require mounting. This also allows for an instrument of comparable aperture to be held steadier and for longer periods of time, particularly if the reflective optics can be made lighter weight than refractive competitive designs. The present invention therefore has a low profile advantage over all other refractive and reflective designs.
Another object of the invention is to provide monocular and binocular telescope configurations which incorporate the folding of optics in such a way that very large objective instruments can be made in much smaller total package sizes than competitive designs, making them much more portable, user friendly and attractive for consumers.
Another object of the invention is to provide a large aperture binocular configuration which can exceed the performance capability of refractive designs by using a scalable body design which allows the optical elements to be sized much larger than is practical with refractive designs while still being compact enough to be considered user friendly or mobile.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved reflective monocular which can readily be used in night vision applications which can provide superior handling performance due to their very low profiles, while matching or exceeding optical performance. This isn't even an option for most other reflective designs which not only block too much light, but are configured in ways which are inferior to refractive approaches. This is why refractive designs dominate the marketplace.
Another object of the invention is to provide a monocular or goggle configuration for night vision applications which has a center of geometry and weight distribution much closer to the observer's body thus providing an extremely low profile instrument compared to refractive designs, which is easier to handle in tactical situations requiring rapid or abrupt movements. This advantage is improved further if the reflective optics can be made lighter weight than refractive competitive designs. This advantage makes the present invention superior in many respects to refractive design competitors and no other reflective designs are even applicable to compete.
Another object of the invention is to provide a multi-wave capability for night vision applications with a common reflective monocular optical path. This design approach is superior to refractive design approaches which use separate optical paths for each wavelength of light and then combine them, often with ghosting visual effects. Additionally, the use of common reflective elements can improve performance since a wide range of wavelengths reflect off mirrors by the same amount and therefore converge to a common point, whereas they do not converge to the same point through refractive optics (chromatic aberration).
Another object of the invention is to provide a telescope configuration which can effectively be used in applications with liquid mirrors which form into parabolic shapes when spun. The configuration allows for the primary liquid optic to remain spinning in a horizontal orientation while also accommodating focal length changes when the primary optic rotational speeds are changed. The configuration would allow for full 360 views of the night sky from a large liquid primary parabolic mirror.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become increasingly apparent upon consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.